Strong Bolton Team Defeat Thornton at Avenue Street

With an added complement of fresh blood from 5 new University freshers, the 4ths were keen to impress those of the 80+ attendees of the Former Players lunch who ventured outside to watch.

From the off, it was Bolton who applied the pressure keeping Thornton pinned back in their own half. Despite the slippery conditions there was some great handling on display. Eventually the pressure told, and Thornton infringed, allowing Mark Docherty to pop over a penalty kick.

Shortly after, as Bolton moved the ball wide it was Docherty who went over for the try which he converted. The tried and trusted pairing of half backs, Keith Howie and Tom Comery ensured that maximum advantage was taken of all ball that came their way.

Mark Higgins, playing his first game of the season, showed that he had lost none of his skills as he picked up from the back of the scrum, threw the dummy pass and breached the Thornton defence. Realising that it was a long way to the line and that the slow motion camera would run out of film before he got there, he managed to fling himself to the ground, whilst claiming that it was his own supporting player who had in fact tripped him !

The score at half-time, a deserved 10 - 0.

A rejuvenated Thornton started the second half keen to show why they top the league, but the Bolton defence was superb, as time after time they held back the visitors. With one player in the sin-bin, Bolton still held firm, but the referee determined that Bolton were killing the ball and awarded a penalty try to Thornton. 10 - 7.

Bolton pushed upfield again, determined to finish the game off. Regular players Jim Sharples and John Kelly were in the thick of it, ensuring that maintained their steady supply of good clean ball, whilst defence from University prop Jordan Barnes was immense. Then in the last 15 minutes it all clicked for Bolton. First University freshman Josh Cook went over from close range to open the gap. Then it was yer man Docherty again, as he popped thru the tiring Thornton defence twice to add to his try tally.

Bolton 4th 27 Thornton 2nd 7